him, trying to attract his attention.

At one o'clock in the morning he went up the hotel stairway, surprised
at seeing a ray of light underneath the door of his room. He
entered.... She was awaiting him--reading, tranquil and smiling. Her
face, refreshed and retouched with juvenile color, did not show the
slightest trace of the morning's spasmodic outbreak. She was clad in
pyjamas.

Seeing Ulysses enter, she arose with outstretched arms.

"Tell me that you are not still angry with me!... Tell me that you will
forgive me!... I was very naughty toward you this afternoon, I admit
it."

She was embracing him, rubbing her mouth against his neck with a feline
purr. Before the captain could respond she continued with a childish
voice:

"My shark! My sea-wolf!--who has made me wait all these hours!... Swear
to me that you have not been unfaithful!... I can perceive at once the
trace of another woman."

Sniffing his beard and face, her mouth approached the sailor's.

"No, you have not been unfaithful.... I still find my own perfume....
Oh, Ulysses! My hero!..."

She kissed him with that absorbing kiss, which appeared to take all the
life from him, obscuring his thoughts and annulling his will-power,
making him tremble from head to foot. All was forgotten,--offenses,
slights, plans of departure.... And, as usual, he fell, conquered by
that vampire caress.

In the darkness he heard Freya's gentle voice. She was recapitulating
what they had not said, but what the two were thinking of at the same
time.

"The doctor believes that you ought to remain. Let your boat go with
its hideous old faun, who is nothing but a drawback. You are to remain
here, on land.... You will be able to do us a great favor.... You know
you will; you will remain?... What happiness!"

Ferragut's destiny was to obey this idolized and dominating voice....
And the following morning Toni saw him approaching the vessel with an
air of command which admitted no opposition. The _Mare Nostrum_ must
set forth at once for Barcelona. He would entrust the command to his
mate. He would join it just as soon as he could finish certain affairs
that were detaining him in Naples.

Toni opened his eyes with a gesture of surprise. He wished to respond,
but stood with his mouth open, not venturing to speak a single word....
This was his captain, and he was not going to permit any objections to
his orders.

"Very well," he said finally. "I only ask you that you r